Students of all ages from Elmwood Park School District 401 came together Thursday for a performance of “The Wizard of Oz.”
On March 20, students from John Mills Elementary, Elmwood Elementary and Elm Middle School were able to get an early look at their peers’ play before it was presented to the public over the weekend.
Noah Pligge, director of the play, said they had been practicing very hard and were happy with their performance. After the performance, students in the audience were able to ask the actors questions.
“The kids really love it,” Pligge said. “It’s great to have an audience in front of the cast members, because the real characters start to bloom.”
Krystal Miranda, 18, a senior at the high school, plays the role of Glenda the Good Witch in the play. She said their performance in front of the students got them off to a good start
“I’ve been in the theater since freshman year,” he said. “This is my first lead role.”
She wants to major in theater in college.
Jackie Lasselle, 13, who attends Elm Middle School, played one of the Lullaby League Munchkins in the play.
More Top Picks Best Knee Pillows For Anxiety
“It was an awesome experience,” she said.
She said her fellow cast members relied on each other to get through the anxiety before the curtain went up.
“I was anxious at first,” she said. “We were all looking out for each other to calm our nerves.”
She said coming to the high school to practice gave her a peek into what it would be like when she attends in the fall.
Shukundala “SK” Naraya came out for the early performance to see her daughter play one of the munchkins. She is her daughter’s biggest fan and plans to attend all of the performances.
“I always want to come out and support the kids,” she said. “It’s a great experience for them.”